It is truly ironic that nature would allow the very organs that continue the existence of the human race to be ridden with a disease that would result in the end of some of those humans. But this is just the sad reality of ovarian cancer, a condition that claims thousands of women each year in the U.S. In fact, you could very easily be one of these women, despite your original health and even age. This is why it's important to know what ovarian cancer is and how it can effect you, questions that will be addressed throughout this article.

Now, to fully understand what ovarian cancer is and how it can effect you, you need to first be aware of how the disease works. Basically, the ovaries, (the organs responsible for producing a woman's eggs), produce tumors. Sometimes these tumors will stay central to just the reproductive area, but usually they will spread out into the abdominal cavity. When this happens a woman will experience a variety of symptoms including abdominal swelling, indigestion, gas and bowel problems. She may also have problems with painful sex. There are also women who get post-menopausal bleeding, though this symptom tends to be rare.

So, now you have an answer for the question of 'what is ovarian cancer.' Now you will need to understand how it can effect you. Well, firstly, if you are elderly, you are at greatest risk for getting the disease. This is especially the case for women over 70. However, there are middle-aged women that get the disease along with a few that are even younger. This is particularly the case if they have a history of the condition in their family. Other risk factors could include: using talcum powder, not having babies, not breastfeeding and not using birth control.

Do you feel like you have a better understanding when it comes understanding what ovarian cancer is and how it can effect you? If so, good, since you now will be more on the lookout for the condition, especially if you are at high-risk. Be aware, though, the current tests available for ovarian cancer won't work for everyone, since they tend to carry with them a lot of misdiagnosis. If you do undergo ovarian cancer screening there is a chance you could be undergo surgery or even chemotherapy without even needing it. This is why it's very important to try and get as many opinions as possible, especially if you get a 'positive' result on early screening.

In conclusion, ovarian cancer is a disease every woman should know about. In fact, even young women benefit from such knowledge, since they may decide to do things in their life that will help prevent the disease in the future. An example could be the decision to take birth control pills, instead of using barrier methods which do not provide protection from ovarian cancer. Either way, definitely take heed when it comes to ovarian cancer. If you're at high-risk don't be afraid to get ovarian cancer screening, even with the chance of misdiagnosis. Yes, you might have to undergo a surgery unnecessarily, but if you really do have the disease such a treatment could mean the difference between whether you will live a normal life expectancy or die in less than five years.